Valve



Filed July 2'7, 1935 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented June 1, i937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Frank B. Cross, Cleveland, Ohio Application July 2'1, 1935. Serial No..33,53 8

3 Claims.

This invention relates to valves and particularly to valves for controlling the pressure of fluids.

An object'of the invention is provide an im-' proved valve which will contro the pressures of fluids delivered therefrom.

Another object is to provide an improved valve in which the pressure of fluids can be controlled within very narrow limits.'

Another object is to provide an improved valve which will control the pressure of fluids under conditions of relatively high pressure and temperature.

Another object is to provide animproved valve which may be easily adjusted for any desired pressure.

Another object is to provide an improved valve which will be simple in construction;

Another object is to provide'an improved valve which will be simply adjusted.

Another object is to provide an improved valve which will have few moving parts.

Another object is to provide an improved valve in which no parts must move through packing.

Another object is to provide an improved valve which may be used to control large sized passageways for the passage of fluids.

Other objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention will be better understood from 30 the description of one practical embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, parts being broken away and shown in section, of an im- 3 proved pressure reducing valve embodying my invention; and

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line II--II of Figure 1.

The valve illustrated comprises a casing, indi- 40 cated generally at I, and having two projecting tubular extensions shown as an internally threaded extension 2, constituting the intake side of the valve, and an oppositely disposed internally threaded tubular extension 3, which constitutes the exhaust side thereof, these extensions being adapted to be engaged by pipes of conduits, such as comprise a steam line or the like, and which supply fluid to the valve at a pressure as great or greater than that desired to be passed from the 50 valve to apparatus which utilizes the fluid.

In alignment with extension 2, and forming a continuation thereof, is a closed-ended tubular projection 4, pierced by two vertically aligned apertures 5 and 6, in which is positioned a valve 55 member consisting of upper and lower heads 1 and 8, respectively, connected by peripherally arranged ribs 9 which are united at their tOPxiIltO two projecting lugs III which constitute, in effeet, a clevice by which the valve may be con- 60 nected to its actuating mechanism.

tween flange l2 and ring I3.

' wardly extending flaring flange ll terminating in a horizontal marginal flange l2. Supported upon the latter is a top or ring i 3 having a depending circular flange portion I provided with an inwardly extending flange l5. Threaded within the depending flange is a ring l3 having a depending flange II in alignment with flange l5 and an out- 15 wardly extending flange l8 overlying ring l3.

A gasket or packing ring l9is positioned be- Received in the annular recess formed betwee flanges l5 and I1 is a centrally apertured disc-- like plate 20 and clamped between this plate and these flanges are the outwardly extending ends of two corrugated metallic bellows members 2| and 22. 7

Within bellows 22 is a vertically extending rod comprising a main enlarged body portion 23 and a reduced threaded extension 24 which passes through a central perforation in the head of bellows 22. A washer 25 overlies the edge of the bellows at this point and is caused to clamp the" same so tightly upon the end of body portion 23 by a nut 26.

The lower end of the body portion 23 has an axially extending reduced threaded section or stud .21 which passes through the central perforation in disc 20;

Threaded upon this stud is a second rod'comprising an enlarged bod portion 28 and a smaller internally and externally threaded portion 23 passing through a central perforation 'in the head of bellows 2|.

The bellows about this perforation isclamped against the end of the enlarged body portion 28 by a washer 30 bearing upon it and clamped against it by a nut 3|.

Engaging the internal thread or extension 29 is the threaded end of a small rod 32 having an apertured end received between lugs l0 and connected" by a pin 33 fastened in position as by a split pin 34.

Supported upon flange I3 is a dome-shaped cover 35 having a marginal flange 36 which overlies both flanges l2 and I3, the flanges l2, l3, and 36 all being clamped together by bolts 31.

A copper plate 38 extends along the upper surface of ring l3 having its edge surrounding its central perforation received between ring I! and flange l8, and its outer edge between ring l3 and flange 38.

A copper liner 33, conforming closely to the 00 interior of the dome 35, also has its edge received between ring I3 and flange 36, so that tightening the bolts 31 seals flanges |2, l3 and 36 together by pressing gasket I 9, copper plate 38, and the edge of liner 39 between them.

Similarly, tightening the ring I6 seals the edges of both bellows between flanges l5 and I! and disc 20.

A tubularfltting 40 passes through the wall of dome 35 and is connected by a stop cock 4| to a source of air under pressure, by which air may be admitted to or permitted to escape from the space within the dome.

A similar fitting 42 penetrates the wall of the dome 35 and connects the interior thereof with a gage 43, which indicates the pressure of the air within the dome.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Fluid, such as steam under relatively high pressure, is admitted through extension into the chamber within part 4 and passes through ports 5 and 6 at the rate determined by the position of heads 1 and 8. The pressure beyond the ports 5 and 6 is, of course, lower than the pressure supplied to extension 2, and depends upon the rate at which the fluid is permitted to pass through these ports.

This reduced pressure extends throughout the space within casing and is exerted upon the exterior of bellows 2|.

At the same time, any air pressure which has been supplied to the space within dome 35, is exerted upon bellows 22. As long as the pressure upon bellows 22 exceeds that upon bellows 2|, the valve remains in its lowermost position, as shown, permitting the maximum amount of fluid to pass through ports 5 and 6.

As soon as pressure on bellows 2| exceeds that on bellows 22, the former is to some degree collapsed and the latter extended by the same amount, this action raising the valve and bringing the heads nearer to their port closing positions, and thus reducing the rate by which fluid may pass through them.

If the pressure within flange continues to rise, bellows 2| is still further collapsed and the ports correspondingly further closed, this continuing until the pressure within chamber drops suificiently for the air pressure on bellows 22 to again depress the valve member.

The adjacent end of body portions 23 and 28 of the rods limit the degree to which the bellows may be collapsed by abutting the sides of disc 20, and so prevent damage to the bellows even when subjected to abnormal pressures.

It will be observed that both pressures are applied to the exterior of the bellows, and the space within both of them is sealed against entrance of either the fluid from chamber II or air from dome 35, and in this manner distortional strains from the inside of the bellows are prevented.

It will be apparent that the valve will operate at pressures corresponding to the readings of gage 43 only when the exterior dimensions of both bellows are the same.

If the dimensions of these bellows differ, the operating pressure will be at a ratio to the gage pressure corresponding to the ratio of the crosssectional areas of both bellows. In other words, if the area of bellows 22 is twice that of bellows ment of my invention obviously many other 2|,the pressure at which the valve operates will be twice that at the gage 43. Of course, the gage can be easily calibrated to indicate what the pressure on bellows 2| need beto cause the device to function.

The valve may be readily adjusted for any operating pressure by varying the pressure of the air within the dome. If set for a certain pressure when the parts are cold and later these become heated, itwill be apparent that the air pressure may rise slightly and may be readily reduced by means of the stop cock 4| until the gage again indicates the pressure at which it is desired the apparatus shall function.

The means for limiting the motion of the bellows are all enclosed and protected from the corrosive or other deteriorating influence of the fluid passing through the line, as well as from the air.

It will also be apparent that there are no moving parts in frictional contact, other than the sides of the valve member passing through the ports 5 and 6, and that the valve is both balanced and so suspended that neither fluid pressure nor weight causes it to bear against the sides of the ports. Hence,- the effects of friction are substantially eliminated.

The bellows themselves may, to an extent, act as opposed springs in returning the parts to their intermediate position with the ports half open.

, A very sensitive control device is thus obtained.

While I have described the illustrated embodiin some particularity, embodiments, variations and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains, and I therefore do not limit myself to the precise details shown and described, but claim as my invention all embodiments, variations and modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Two generally cupped shaped bellows having their open ends adjacent each other, a centrally perforated disc-like plate between said bellows, means sealing the edges of said bellows to the sides of said plate, a rigid bar extending through the perforation of the plate and clamped and sealed to both bellows, said bar having proections arranged to contact said plate and spaced apart a distance greater than the thickness of the p a e.

2. Two generally cup-shaped bellows each having a closed head and relatively flexible and resilient sides, means sealing the open ends of the bellows together so that the space within both is hermetically sealed and intercommunicating, and a rigid connector positively fastened to the headset both bellows and connecting them to an element to be actuated.

3. Two generally cup-shaped bellows each having a closed head and relatively flexible and re silient sides, means sealing the open ends of the bellows together so that the space within both is hermetically sealed and intercommunicating, and a rigid connector positively fastened to the heads of both bellows and connecting them to an element to be actuated, and means exposing the exterior of each bellows to a different fluid under pressure. a

FRANK H. CROSS. 

